A political shift is underway in Turkey following a final ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and a stunning statement from a key government ally, suggesting a path to freedom for the jailed Kurdish politician, Selahattin Demirtaş.
The ECHR has rejected Turkey's final appeal against a previous ruling, effectively making the decision for Demirtaş's immediate release legally binding under the Turkish Constitution. This landmark development came as the former Co-Chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) completed his ninth year in prison.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the Turkish political landscape, Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and a crucial partner in President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling coalition, publicly endorsed Demirtaş's release.
Speaking to reporters in Tuesday, after a group meeting, Bahçeli stated: "Mr. Selahattin Demirtaş has reached a conclusion through legal means. His release will be beneficial for Turkey".
This statement marks a significant departure from the MHP's long-standing hardline position, which has consistently supported the government's refusal to implement earlier ECHR rulings. Bahçeli's comments were made shortly after he vehemently denied any "crack" in the ruling Cumhur İttifakı (People's Alliance) with the Justice and Development Party (AKP), emphasizing their shared goal of a "Turkey without terrorism".
Demirtaş has been imprisoned since November 4, 2016, initially on charges related to his political speeches and activities. The ECHR's Grand Chamber had previously ruled that his detention was politically motivated and violated multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, including Article 18, which concerns limitations on rights for improper purposes.
The current, final ruling relates to his re-arrest in 2019 under the scope of the so-called Kobani Case. This case centers on a 2014 tweet from the HDP's Central Executive Committee, which called for protests against ISIS's siege of the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani and the Turkish government's alleged inaction. The protests led to violent clashes that resulted in 46 deaths.
Despite the ECHR’s finding that the tweet was protected under freedom of expression, the Kobani indictment sought aggravated life sentences for Demirtaş and 107 other defendants, arguing the tweet incited the violence.
Political Context and the "Imralı-Edirne Conflict"
Bahçeli's statement also comes amid a broader political discussion in Turkey concerning the "Turkey without terrorism" process, which has seen the MHP leader advocate for a parliamentary delegation to visit the jailed PKK leader, Abdullah Öcalan, on Imralı Island.
Bahçeli explicitly addressed media speculation about a rivalry between Öcalan (Imralı) and Demirtaş (Edirne), dismissing it as an attempt to "sabotage" the peace process.
"We see the potential discomfort of those who lay mines between both Öcalan and Demirtaş, and we believe that no one will fall for this game. Efforts to provoke the process of a Turkey without terrorism are null and void for us".
This convergence of the ECHR's final legal mandate and a surprising political endorsement from within the ruling alliance creates an unprecedented situation. Demirtaş's lawyers have already filed an application for his release with the Ankara Regional Court of Appeals. The focus now shifts to the Turkish judiciary and the government's response to the binding ECHR decision, especially given the unexpected political cover provided by the MHP leader.
Photo: Manus AI